Hey guys, I found this on the site this morning and thought it was worth a nice Leading Edge spot.
Please check it out, and if you can help out, by all means sign up!

Originally Posted by: Murocflyer (WAA-08 Pilot #1)

We are not afraid to admit that we love the sport of model aviation. Nor are we afraid to admit we love our country and we certainly aren't afraid to fight for our freedom because we know the freedoms that we enjoy are not free and come at a price. A very high price. That is why we have decided to showcase our sport to America and to help the Wounded Warriors Project empower those American heroes that pay the price for our freedom every day of their lives.

Our plan is to fly two airplanes across the USA. One gas powered plane and one electric powered plane. The gas powered plane starting in California will fly west to east and the electric powered plane will start in GA at SEFF and fly west. We want to involve as many AMA clubs as possible along both routes as they travel across the USA. Our plan is to involve the local media to showcase model aviation and to help raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). The fundraising goal for this event will be $10,000 to the WWP.

The gas powered called "American Spirit" will take off from the Muroc Model Masters (MMM) field at Edwards AFB California in April of 2014 and begin its journey east to the Riverside Aeromodelers Society (RAMS) in North Carolina. The electric powered plane called "American Pulse" will begin its journey from Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) in Georgia next April and fly to the Southern Minnesota Model Aircraft Club (SMMAC) in Minnesota. Both will fly along a predetermined route to the next club that has volunteered to take part. The planes will land, be refueled or batteries changed out, and the next team consisting of a driver, spotter, and pilot will take over. The team that takes over will be from the next club on the route. This way they are familiar with its location and the peculiars about landing at that field. We would not want pilots to be landing at unfamiliar fields. And if they have to land sooner than expected, they know the area and its alternate landing locations. This will repeat all across the USA. We hope that the clubs along the route will contact their local media outlets and explain the TransAmerica Tour 2014 to them. Teams will be provided talking points about the AMA, model aviation and the Wounded Warriors Project and how they can donate to help our American heroes in their daily lives.

Airplanes, engines, radios, electronics, cars and all support equipment is hoped to be provided by potential sponsors of TransAmerica Tour 2014. We are also working with a television production company to film this tour and a number of model aviation events in 2014 to help showcase model aviation and bring it to prime time television.

If anyone would like to volunteer to assist in this effort, all I need right now is the name and zip code of your club and a Point of Contact (POC) with an email address and phone number. I will also need to know what model your club would like to fly; the gas or electric powered one. As the event is finalized, I will be in touch to get the pilot's name, the spotter's name and the driver's name.

Promoting model aviation and helping our American heroes that have sacrificed so much in their lives and continue to do so every day is something I firmly believe in and something we all can do. No matter what form of model aviation we use to enjoy it in.

The gasoline engine aircraft will fly west to east and pass through the following states; CA, AZ, NM, TX, LA, AR, MS, AL, GA, SC and NC. It will begin at the Muroc Model Masters field at Edwards AFB, CA and end at the Riverside Aeromodelers Society (RAMS) in East Bend, North Carolina. The plane we plan on flying is a Sig Rascal 110.

The electric powered plane will start out in Americus, Georgia at SEFF and fly to the Southern Minnesota Model Aircraft Club (SMMAC) in Owatonna, Minnesota and pass through the following states; GA, AL, TN, KY, IN, IL, WI, IA and MN . This plane will most likely be a Sig T-Clips but we are still in the selection phase right now and it is currently undergoing flight testing to see if it will meet our requirements.

If anyone wants to join in to help out and volunteer a team then all I need right now is the following info:

1. Name and zip code of your club

2. Point of Contact (POC) name, email address and phone number

3. Pilot's name, the spotter's name and the driver's name. This can come at a later time

4. Power choice; gas or electric (we have two planes flying different routes)

Thanks! We are also working with The Discovery Channel to see if we can get them to make a short documentary about this event and other forms of model aviation.

We have been trying to do things in the RC community that showcases our sport to the general public for a long time now. The WAA-08 adventure has been seen on local television shows I believe about 8 times since its journey began, but that would be nothing like this.

Hundreds of RC pilots getting to talk about our hobby from all walks of life all across the USA on national television. Now that would be something alright. Just think of the technology we could demonstrate to people that may never have heard about Spektrum or Hitec or products from other companies that we use every day. And we could definitely prove to people that "drones" are not evil machines used to kill foreigners in a country a half world away but actually something people do for fun and excitement by people all over the USA.

I can see us showing the Discovery Channel all kinds of planes, helis, multirotors, FPV, sailplanes, and all kinds of gadgets that we use to enjoy this hobby. It's almost limitless on how we can promote model aviation all the while helping to raise money for our American heroes.
Getting on nationwide TV to showcase what we know as a wonderful sport as well as the people involved is a golden opportunity to so many people. I know there was quite a buzz in the forums when we saw some use a Futaba radio to fly a full scale passenger jet, just imagine if there was a show about radio controlled airplanes on each week that highlighted all the different forms of model aviation and the technologies we use on a daily basis. And just think of the events TDC team could go film and document on the TV that happens each year. How cool would that be?